State to adjust test immigrants must take (To translate parts into Spanish only)

The Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 21, 2008 | ROSALIND ROSSI

[raybbr]

Illinois education officials Thursday agreed to tweak the state achievement test that next year's immigrant high school juniors will face, but local officials said the changes amounted to "putting lipstick on a pig.''

The state School Board's actions came just weeks before public school juniors who are still learning English are, for the first time, being required to take the two-day Prairie State Achievement Exam, a decision that's caused an uproar in many high schools.

The first day of the exam is devoted to administering the ACT, a test used by colleges to decide admissions. It contains questions on everything from grammar to trigonometry and uses words that even some native English speakers might find intimidating.

To give such a test to kids who are still learning English amounts to "educational malpractice. You don't do this to somebody,'' said Anne Roloff, director of curriculum for Fenton High School District 100 and a member of the Chicago Area Directors of Curriculum and Assessment.

"These kids are not on a level linguistically where they can handle college-entrance material.''

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In another attempt to help immigrant teens, officials Thursday agreed that next school year, all math and science sections of the high school test will be translated into Spanish, the most frequently spoken foreign language.

"Good. Now they only have 54 more languages to go,'' said Ken Wallace, assistant superintendent of Maine Township High School District, which includes Maine East High, where kids speak 55 languages.

[raybbr]

"These kids are not on a level linguistically where they can handle college-entrance material.

Then why do you want to pass them?

Only spanish, of course.

[raybbr]

Bush's "new America" is alive and well.

THE "NEW AMERICAN"..........<

We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture.

Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende.

For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America.

Our future cannot be separated from the future of Latin America.

As I speak, we are celebrating the success of democracy in Mexico.

George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000.

You can read the speech here.

Here is an excerpt of a good critique of that speech:

In equating our intimate historic bonds to our mother country and to Canada with our ties to Mexico, W. shows a staggering ignorance of the civilizational facts of life. The reason we are so close to Britain and Canada is that we share with them a common historical culture, language, literature, and legal system, as well as similar standards of behavior, expectations of public officials, and so on. My Bush Epiphany By Lawrence Auster

[Liz]

Stupidity speaking English doesn’t stop them from gettng on the US gravy train, collecting all the freebies they can using several stolen identities and SS nos.

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

"PRESS 'NUMERO UNO' FOR ENGLISH, COMPREDE?"

[Oshkalaboomboom]

This basically amounts to social promotion. Does anyone think that a high school senior whose English is so bad that he can’t pass an exam is going to get proficient enough to pass college level exams in English over the summer?

[PapaBear3625]

"These kids are not on a level linguistically where they can handle college-entrance material.

Which means that they are not on a level where they will be able to handle college course material, so what's the point?

[raybbr]

I know where you got that pic from....

[Right_Handed_Writer]

Here is what I read of that article:

State to adjust test immigrants must take

EDUCATION | Critics still not satisfied, but officials say their hands are tied by U.S. rules

March 21, 2008

BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter/rrossi@suntimes.com

Ms Rossi is a complete bleeding heart. Her article is not news, it's an editorial.

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

"I know where you got that pic from....

I'm glad you do because I don't. lol

I "appropriated" from someone (you?)and memory escapes me as to the source--much as so many of my other pics I've accumulated which I found amusing and interesting

Nevertheless, one must remember the axiom: "Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery."

Muchas Gracias. lol

[calex59]

So are they going to translate parts of it into Russian, Yugoslavian, French and every other language of immigrants who are learning English or is this just for the elite Spanish speaking immigrants?

[raybbr]

I made that pic a while ago. It used to get deleted from posts here on FR because of the bushbots hitting the abuse button.

Times sure have changed. Just look at the comments on this thread...

[HiJinx]

Ping!